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  Electronic endoscope systemUSPTO Application #: 20070070193Title: Electronic endoscope system Abstract: An electronic endoscope system comprises an electronic endoscope and a processor. The electronic endoscope includes a parallel/serial converter which encodes a vertical synchronizing signal and a horizontal synchronizing signal to synchronization codes representing ON/OFF states thereof expressed by several maximum and minimum signal levels for representing the digital image signals, and uses a maximum and a minimum signal levels except the signal levels representing the synchronization codes to express the digital image signals which would normally be represented by the signal levels representing the synchronization codes, while the image signals whose levels are not in the signal levels representing the synchronization codes are not subject to change. The processor includes a synchronizing signal decoder for decoding the vertical synchronizing signal and the horizontal synchronizing signal based on the synchronization codes. (end of abstract) Agent: Birch Stewart Kolasch & Birch - Falls Church, VA, US Inventor: Kazunori Abe USPTO Applicaton #: 20070070193 - Class: 348065000 (USPTO) The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070070193. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention relates to an electronic endoscope system constituted of an electronic endoscope and a processor between which signals are transmitted and received via radio waves. [0003] 2. Description of the Related Arts [0004] Conventionally, medical diagnoses using electronic endoscopes are widely performed. In the electronic endoscope, an imaging sensor such as a CCD is incorporated in a front end portion of an insertion section for being inserted into a body cavity. Image signals obtained by the CCD are subject to signal processing in a processor to display an image of the body cavity, that is, an endoscopic image, on a monitor. [0005] The conventional electronic endoscope and the processor are connected through a signal cable. However, a wireless electronic endoscope system is devised which transmits and receives the signals via radio waves without using the signal cable to improve operability of the electronic endoscope (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,633,304 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2001-046334). In each reference, a modulating section for modulating the signals and a transmitter for transmitting the signals via the radio waves are provided in the electronic endoscope, and a receiver for receiving the radio Waves and a demodulating section for demodulating the radio waves into the original signals are provided in the processor. [0006] The conventional electronic endoscope with the signal cable requires approximately 4 kV of dielectric strength voltage between a patient circuit in the electronic endoscope and a secondary circuit in the processor. However, such high dielectric strength voltage is unnecessary in the wireless electronic endoscope system since the signal cable is not used between the electronic endoscope and the processor. [0007] In the wireless electronic endoscope system, since the processor receives image signals obtained by the electronic endoscope to display the endoscopic image on the monitor, synchronization between the electronic endoscope and the processor is needed. [0008] However, in the conventional electronic endoscope systems, there is a need to use two channels of frequency bands, because the image signals and the synchronizing signals are transmitted in separate frequency bands. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0009] A main object of the present invention is to provide an electronic endoscope system in which both image signals and synchronizing signals can be transmitted in a single frequency band and the synchronizing signals can be surely detected. [0010] In order to achieve the above and other objects, an electronic endoscope system of the present invention is constituted of an electronic endoscope and a processor. [0011] The electronic endoscope includes an imaging sensor, an A/D converter, a synchronizing signal encoder, a modulating section and a transmitter. The imaging sensor obtains an image of an observation area of a subject and outputs analog image signals. The A/D converter converts the analog image signals into digital image signals. The synchronizing signal encoder encodes a vertical synchronizing signal and a horizontal synchronizing signal into synchronization codes representing ON/OFF states thereof expressed by several maximums and minimums of signal levels for representing the digital image signals, and uses a maximum and a minimum signal levels except the signal levels representing the synchronization codes to express the digital image signals which would normally be represented by the signal levels representing the synchronization codes, while the image signals whose levels are not in the signal levels representing the synchronization codes are not subject to change. The modulating section applies a digital quadrature modulation to the synchronization codes and the image signals to generate RF signals. The transmitter transmits the RF signals to the processor as a radio wave. [0012] The processor includes a receiver, a demodulating section, a synchronizing signal decoder and an image signal processing section. The receiver receives the RF signals transmitted from the transmitter. The demodulating section demodulates the RF signals into the image signals by digital quadrature detection. The synchronizing signal decoder decodes the vertical synchronizing signal and the horizontal synchronizing signal based on the synchronization codes. The image signal processing section generates an endoscopic image from the image signals. [0013] According to the electronic endoscope system of the present invention, since the electronic endoscope includes the synchronizing signal encoder which encodes a vertical synchronizing signal and a horizontal synchronizing signal into synchronization codes representing ON/OFF states thereof expressed by several maximums and minimums of signal levels for representing the digital image signals, and uses a maximum and a minimum signal levels except the signal levels representing the synchronization codes to express the digital image signals which would normally be represented by the signal levels representing the synchronization codes, while the image signals whose levels are not in the signal levels representing the synchronization codes are not subject to change, and the processor includes the synchronizing signal decoder which decodes the vertical synchronizing signal and the horizontal synchronizing signal based on the synchronization codes, both the image signals and the synchronizing signals can be transmitted in a single frequency band and the synchronizing signals can be surely detected. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0014] The above and other subjects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments when read in association with the accompanying drawings, which are given by way of illustration only and thus are not limiting the present invention. In the drawings, like reference numerals designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein: [0015] FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a configuration of an electronic endoscope system of the present invention; [0016] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a composition of an electronic endoscope; [0017] FIG. 3 is an explanatory figure showing a relation between image signals and synchronization codes; and [0018] FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a composition of a processor. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [0019] In FIG. 1, an electronic endoscope system 2 is constituted of an electronic endoscope 10 and a processor 11. Signals are transmitted between the electronic endoscope 10 and the processor 11 via radio waves 12. [0020] The electronic endoscope 10 is provided with an insertion section 13 inserted into a body cavity, and an operating section 14 connected to a base end portion of the insertion section 13. A front end section 13a of the insertion section 13 incorporates an objective lens 15 for taking image light of an observation area in the body cavity, a CCD 16 (for example, a number of pixels is 1280.times.960 and a frame rate is 30 frames/second) which is an image sensor for capturing the image of the observation area in the body cavity, and an illumination lens 17 and an LED light source (hereinafter, an LED) 18 for illuminating inside the body cavity (see FIG. 2). The image of the body cavity taken by the CCD 16 is displayed as an endoscopic image on a monitor 19 connected to the processor 11. Continue reading... Full patent description for Electronic endoscope system Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Electronic endoscope system patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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